One Step at a Time #WriteBravely #WTBFAC

 

“Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: the potential of greatness lives within each of us.”

—Wilma Rudolph 

Making a difference sounds like an oft-repeated refrain we all feel tempted to use all too often but sadly, one we seem to overlook as easily, because, in trying to make a living and live our everyday lives, too many things detract us from our noble thoughts. I am speaking about myself here and admitting why so often, I’ve found myself slipping away from committing to many of the wonderful plans I’ve made in the past. Not because my intentions were not genuine. Quite the contrary— I actually didn’t have the proper foundations to see them through to completion.

The Dream

So, the truth is, most of us do want to make a difference. Just that we do not know how. When I read Corinne’s post, I felt compelled to respond, because, this time I had something which I was very keen to share— a small fleeting wish— a dream, rather, that I’ve been nurturing in my mind for some time now, that has been gradually taking shape since the past few weeks and has now become a focused action plan, ready to start in the New Year!

The Idea

Last month, one morning, I was startled when my maid sent me a WhatsApp message which said she wasn’t coming to work because her father was seriously ill. Reading her cryptic message, I gathered that she had obviously struggled to string together a few sentences to convey her message to me. When I spoke to her later, I found out that her school-going daughter was away that morning and hence, very apologetically she narrated how she had no choice but to type in her broken English, to inform us that she was not coming. I promptly asked her if she wanted to read and write English. She stared at me blankly and then, smiled, nodding shyly and replying in the affirmative. I thought I could give her a few lessons in basic English.

The Action Plan

That evening, it got me thinking perhaps there were more ladies in our apartment who could benefit from similar lessons. I reckoned if I could gather a few more ladies to join in, my maid would not only have company but as a group, these ladies could encourage each other and take forward their learning into the real world. With this in mind, I spoke to the housekeeping staff in our apartment and asked them if they would join in. Two of them were keen. One shied away. Over the next few days, I came up with a brief outline of a preliminary course to educate these ladies, hoping it was good enough for a start.

The Foundation

Since I work from home, I thought why not come up with a mini-school at home. I would not require a lot of resources— just a room and the right curriculum would be enough to impart basic reading and writing skills, to begin with. Once that gets underway, I think I could get more people to volunteer for teaching and help out with different subjects and activities, all in our spare time. Right now, it seems viable and certainly possible. 

Initially, I’ve decided to keep this as a weekend activity, getting the ladies off to a head start. Understandably, a lot depends on the levels of commitment the learners bring to the sessions and the keenness with which they take it forward. I shall be the catalyst to help them progress at their pace and time. Just a tiny step, at a time.

#ProjectBodhi 

With this in mind, I’m taking a huge leap of faith, I aim to launch #ProjectBodhi! ‘Bodhi’ means awareness and enlightenment— something I’m hoping to achieve through this project. It is one of the key areas that I’m dedicating myself to, in the year 2018. I’m taking this step by believing, not just in my own dreams but in the dreams of all those women who will come to learn, explore and widen their horizons and most importantly, improve their lives.

A tiny step today— that will someday grow into something bigger and more impactful, aiming for a far wider reach in the future.

In their dreams, lie my own dreams. I only pray that the fear of failure should never set me back, so, I’m holding on, ready to jump in, and face my fears—yes, all of them!

Wish me luck, my dear friends! I’m banking on my passion and drive, but your words of encouragement will help me see through the hiccups and the setbacks that will come to be a part of this journey. Because life isn’t a smooth ride after all. I do not know what the future holds for me but I do know, I’m taking one step at a time and sincerely wishing it will make a difference in someone’s life.

What do you say?

“We all have our time machines. Some take us back, they’re called memories. Some take us forward, they’re called dreams.” — Jeremy Irons

 

Do you have a dream that you have nurtured for a long time? Or, do you have dreams you intend to take forward in the coming year? Tell me more— I’d love to hear from you. Please do share your thoughts in the comments below and leave me some best wishes to see me through my dream project.

#writebravely #writetribeblogsforacause

(Linking this to Corinne’s post on Write Tribe inviting posts on the prompt, “If I could make a small difference today, I would ———–”)